Julius brendle



June 29 1926.

J. BRENDLE RECORDING INSTRUMENT Filed August 1'7. 1923 "I n In? A,

Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES JULIUS BRENDLE, OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed August 17, 1923, Serial No. 657,894, and in Switzerland March 2, 1923.

The subject matter of the present invention is a recording instrument having an indicating device and as a. special feature an automatically acting auxiliary device which 5 causes the indicating device to return into initial position after a certain lapse of time.

lVith workmens time recording instruments the returning may be effected, for instance, in dependency upon a clock work or 10 with other types of recording instruments, for instance, with recording instruments for machine tools in dependency upon the number of working operations of the machine tool.

The returning of the indicating device into its initial position is, according to the present invention, effected in an automatic manner, whereas with the hitherto known recording instruments of this type the re- 2 turning has to be performed manually, this performance has frequently been forgotten, and with recording instruments having type wheels as indicating means it involved a tedious work.

The invention shall now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings on which a constructional example of the auxiliary device in combination with the time operated type wheels of a workmens time recording instrument is illustrated. In

the drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are two elevation views taken at right angles to each other of the auxiliary device and of the time operated type wheels.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section along line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows details, and

Figs. 5 and 6 show certain parts in diiferent working positions.

In these drawings 1 and 2 denote two frame plates rigidly connected to each other and 3 is a further frame plate which is omitted in Fig. 1. Between the frame plates 1 and 2 the printing or recording mechanism is arranged, which comprises three type wheels 14., 5, 6 provided at their circumference with the figures 09 twice in succession, beside these type wheels further type wheels 7, 5", 6 are arranged. The type wheel gear, which serves for printing the time on record-cards, is periodically actuated or turned by the clock work A by means not indicated in the accompanying drawings, which means are disclosed in my ap- 55 plication for Letters Patent Ser. No. 488,895,

dated Aug. 1, 1921. The wheel 4 which, for

instance, is turned by the amount of one unit every six minutes, serves for registering the units (tenths of hours), whereas the wheel registers the tens (hours) and the wheel 6 the hundreds (ten-hour units); to the wheel 6 a type wheel 7 is rigidly connected. For turning the type wheels 4, 5, 6 pawls, of the ratchet mechanism, which is not shown in the accompanying drawings, but is disclosed in the above mentioned application, may cooperate with teeth provided laterally on each type wheel. WVith the teeth of each of the type wheels 4, 5, 6 a pawl 8 on which a spring 8 acts, cooperates and prevents a turning back of the respec tive type wheel. The wheels 4 and 5 are further provided at their sides with disks 1- and 5 respectively having the shape of a lei'nniscate and the wheel 6 is provided with a heart-shaped disk 6, these disks serving to effect the automatic return of the wheels at, 5 and 6, 7 into their initial positic-n (zeroposition) at a predetermined moment. To this end three prongs 9 of a lever 9 cooperate with said three disks. The lever 9 is operatively connected to a lever 10 provided at its free end with a. head 10 and adapted thereby to release the three locking pawls 8 simultaneously. In the constructional example illustrated the levers 9, 10 are made of one piece secured to the shaft 11 which is rotatably mounted in the frame plates 1 and 2. On the shaft 11 controlling lever 12 shaped as a bell crank lever is fixed, the lever 12 being turned or adjusted by the aid of two pins 13, lt of a gearwheel 15 which carries out one complete revolution at determined moments. The adjusting wheel 15 is secured to the shaft 16 rotatably mounted in the frame plates 2 and 3, the one end of a spiral spring 17 is fixed to the shaft 16 while the other end is fixed to a casing 18 rotatably arranged upon the shaft 16. The casing 18 is provided with an outer serrated rim 19 with which two s ring loaded pawls 20, 21 are in engagement, the pawl 21 has two arms and is car ried by the propelling pawl which is rotatable about the axle 23 and isordinarily held. in position of rest by the tension spring Qet, the pawl is also mounted on the axle 23. Beside of the serrated rim 19 on the casing 18 enclosing the spiral spring a cam 25 is provided, the rest of the circumference of the casing 18 being smooth. At the side adjacent to the casing 18 the adjusting wheel is provided with a cam 26, the highest point of which is somewhat nearer to the shaft 16 than that of the cam Into the path of rotation of the two cams a pin 2? of a locking lever projects, the free end of which is bent over to form a stop The locking lei- 28 is continuously d towards the shaft 16 or towards the respectively by the action of a spring 2%).

v A pinion 30 is in mesh with the gear wheel 15 and a gear wheel 82, the escapement wheel, is fixed to the same shaft 31 which carries the pinion. The gear wheel 32 is provided *ith two stop pins 3a which cooperat with the locking lever 28; the pin 33 is arranged at a greater radial distance from the shaft 31 than the pin 34 The gear wheel 82 is in mesh with a pinion 35 on the axle of which the regulating fan with the blades 36 is fixed.

The propelling pawl is periodically actuated. by the clock work A through the interposition of a two-armed lever 38, 39 rotatably mounted about the fulcrum 40 and arranged at the left hand side of the frame plate 2 when looking at Fig. 2. The arm 38 carries at its end a pin 41 projecting through a slot a2 provided in the frame plate 2 and adapted to depress the propelling pawl 22 when the pin 43 fixed to the clock work A strikes against the arm 39 of the two-armed lever 38. 39. Every time the propelling pawl 22 is depressed the casing 18 enclosing the spiral spring 17 is turned through the angular amount of one tooth of the serration 19 whereby the spiral spring 17 is Wound up. With the example illus trated fourteen actuations are required to cause one complete revolution of the casing 18 which corresponds in the described example to a period of fourteen days, when it is assumed, that the type Wheel mechanism registers the vorlring time during a period of two consecutive weeks. The adjustment wheel 15 remains in its inoperative position as the stop pin 3 of the escapement wheel 32 abuts against the locking lever 28 (Figs. 1 and The locking lever 28 is held in this position by the pin 2? resting on the cam 26 of the adjusting wheel 15.

If now the spring casing 18 has completed one revolution i. c. after it has been fourteen times partially turned the cam 25 on the casing 18 comes in engagement with the pin 27 of the locking lever 28, the pin 27 is displaced and the locking lever 28 is swung from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 into that shown in Fig. 5, in which the path of the stop pin 34 is no longer obstructed by the locking lever 28. Thereby the locking of thewheels and 15 is suspended and the latter is rotated by the tightened spiral spring 1?, the, escapement wheel 32 carrying out half a revolution in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 5. v.-'hereu .)on the pin 33 strikes against the stop 21%;" of the locking lever 28 and the wheels 32 and 15 are locked again; the cam 26 of the wheel 15 is now out of the path of the pin 2". The locking lever 28 leaves this position (the so-called preparatory position) after the fourteenth of the above mentioned actuating movements of the casing 18 has been performed, as its pin 27 runs off the passing cam 25 and comes to bear against the smooth part of the periphery of the casing 18 as is shown in Fig. 6. ifhereby the path of the stop pin 33 of the esapement wheel 32 is no more obstructed and the looking of the wheels and 15 is released, the stop facing 28 does now not obstruct the paths of the stop pins and 3 1. The escapement wheel 32 which is driven by the wheel to which rotation is imparted again by the spiral spring 17 may turn unrestrictedly. 'lhe wheel 32 continues to rotate until after the wheel 15 has performed approximately one revolution, that is to say until the cam 26 of the wheel 15 comes into engagement with the pin 2? the locking lever 28rwhereupon the latter isnioved again into the locking position ilh rated in Fi 1 and 3 (midposition) in which the pin 3 I bears against the stop 28 of the locking lever 28, whereby a turning motion of thwheels and 15 is prevented. During this turning'motion of the wheel 15 the pin 13 on the latter strikes against the longer arm of the crank lever 12 and causes a swinging motion of the latter in the clockwise direction when looking at Fig. 1; thereafter the pin 13 strikes against the shorter arm of the lever 12 and causes a return movement of the latter into its position of rest in which the lever nears against the pin i l of the wheel The swingino' movement of the lever 12 a swinging movement of the levers 9, l0 tired on the shaft 11. The lever 10 releases thereby the three locking pawls 8, the head 10 co-operating to that end with. the free ends of said pawls while on the other hand the three prongs of the lev r l) coact with the corresponding dislrs i. 5, (3 respectively; the pressure of the prongs against the periphery of said discs effects a turning motion of the respective type wheels 4i, 5, 6 and 7 into their zero-position; the type wheels i, 5, 6 and 7 in thezeroposition as soon as the prongs 9 of the lever 9 have entered notches 37 shaped to the curvature of the ends of the prongs; the disks a and 5 are provided with two notches 37. These notches permit a secure fixation of the type wheels in their zero-position and an easy withdrawal of the prongs. After the lever 9 has reached its 1na:-mum angular displacement the levers 9 and 10 return lnto their initial position and the locking pawls 8 are again operative. The parts are illustrated in Fig. 1 under the assumption that the type wheels have just been returned into their Zero-position.

As soon as the casing 18 enclosing the spring has completed a further revolution in consequence of the actuations of the propelling pawl 22 the above described manner of operation starts again, i. e. the looking lever 28 is turned from the locking position (Figs. 1 and transitorily into the position (Fig. 5), in which the turning motion or the wheel 15 is prepared and then into its inoperative position (Fig. 6) and thereafter into its locking position.

Obviously the action of the auxiliary device can be adapted to different practical requirements within the scope of the present invention by causing the recording mech anism to be turned into Zero-position for instance every hour, every day, every week or after a determined number of operative steps have been performed. The escapement wheel may also be provided with one stop pin only and the second stop pin (34), which bears against the locking lever when the latter is in its preparatory position, may be provided on the adjustment wheel. the locking lever being suitably shaped. Instead of being provided with type wheels, the recording or indicating mechanism may have other recording means.

I claim 1. In a recording instrument having register wheels and zero setting mechanism automatically returning said wheels to zero position after a predetermined time, a ro tated member, a driving member and a driving spring between the members, a resetting lever operated by said rotated member to reset said wheels, and means to release said rotated member after a definite time.

2. A recording instrument having register wheels and zero setting mechanism automatically returning said wheels to Zero after a predetermined time and comprising a spring, a clock-work, a ratchet mechanism with a propelling pawl actuated by said clock worl: and co-operating with a turnably mounted ratchet member adapted to wind up said spring a rotatably mounted adjusting member adapted to be rotated by said spring, said ratchet member and said adjusting member being coaxially arranged, an escapement wheel operatively connected to said adjusting member, a cam each on said ratchet member and on said adjusting member, a locking lever co-operating with said cams, two stops on said escapement wheel co-operating with said locking lever for preventing a turning of said escapement wheel, a lever mechanism operatively connected to said adjusting member and to said indicating device and adapted to cause the return movement of the latter, the co-operation of said cams with said locking lever providing for three positions of the latter a locking position, in which the locking lever rests on the cam of the ratchet member and prevents a turning of said escapement wheel, a second position into which the locking lever is turned by the cam of the adjusting member whereby said escapementwheel is tem 'mrarily released to perform a partial revolution and a third inoperative position in which the escapement wheel and the adjusting member are released to perform a turning motion whereby the lever mechanism is actuated to cause the return of the indicating device.

3. A recording instrument having register wheels and zero setting mechanism auto matically returning said wheels to zero after a predetermined time and comprising a spring, a clock work, a ratchet mechanism,

with a propelling pawl actuated by said clock work and co-operating with a turnably mounted ratchet member adapted to wind up said spring, a rotatably mounted adjusting member adapted to be rotated by said spring, said ratchet member and said ad justing member being coaxially arranged, an escapement wheel operatively connected to said adjusting member, a cam each on said ratchet member and on said adjusting member, a locking lever cooperating with said cams, two stops on said escapement wheel cooperating with said locking lever for preventing a turning of said cscapement wheel, a lever mechanism comprising a bifurcated lever co-operating with guide organs on said adjusting member and a lever provided with prongs and co-operating with the indicating device for causing the return movement of the latter when the propelling pawl has been actuated a determined number of times and the locking lever has been so adjusted that a turning motion of the adjusting member by the action of the wound up spring is permitted.

4;. A recording instrument having regis ter wheels and zero setting mechanism automatically returning said wheels to zero after a predetermined time and con'iprising a spring, a clock-work, a ratchet mechanism with a propelling pawl actuated by said clock-work and co-operating with a turnably mounted ratchet member adapted to wind up said spring. a rotatably mounted adjusting member adapted to be rotated by said spring, said ratchet member and said adjusting member being coaxially arranged, an escapement wheel operatively connected to said adjusting member, a cam each on said ratchet member and on said adjusting member, a locking lever co-operating with said cams, two stops on said escapement wheel co-operating with said locking lever for preventing a turning of said escapement wheel, a disk arranged laterally of each type wheel, a lever mechanism comprising a bifurcated lever co-operating With guideorgans on said adjusting member and a-lever provided with prongs and co-operating With the circumference of said disks for causing the return movement of the type Wheels when the propelling pawl has been actuated a determined number of times and the loci:- ing lever has been so adjusted that a turning motion of the adjusting member by the action of the Wound up spring is permitted.

5. A recording instrument having register Wheels and zero setting mechanism automatically returning said Wheels to zero after a predetermined time and comprising a spring, a clock-Work, a ratchet mechanism With a propelling pawl actuated by said clock-Work and co-operating with a turnably mounted ratchet member adapted to Wind up said spring, a rotatably mounted adjusting member adapted to be rotated by said spring, said ratchet member and said adjusting member being coaxially arranged, an escapement Wheel ope 'atively connected. to said adjusting member, a cam eaeh'on said ratchet member and on said adjusting member, a locking lever eo-operating with said cams, two stops on said esca-pement Wheel cooperating with said locking lever for preventing a turning of said escapement Wheel, a heart shaped disk arranged laterally of each type Wheel and provided with a notch. a lever mechanism comprising a bifurcated lever co-operating with guide organs on said adjusting member and a lever 1. rovided With prongs and co-operating With the circumference of said discs for causing the return movement of the type Wheels when the propelling pawl has been actuated a determined number oi times and the lee-l:-

ing lever has been so adjusted that a turning motion of the adjusting member by the action of the Wound up spring is permitted, the prongs entering in said notches for securing the type Wheels in their initial position,

6. A recording instr ment having register Wheels and zero setting mechanism automatically returning said Wheels to zero after a pre-determined time, and comprising a rotated mei'nber, a driving member, av driving spring between the members, a resetting lever operated by said rotated memben means for retarding the rotation of said rotated membeiga stop on said rotated. member and a stop on the'driving member, a stop lever held in one operative position by said first-mentioned stop, a pair of lugs said retarding means arranged for alternate engagement by said lever, whereby said re-setting lever is automatically operated during the period of rotation oi: said retarding means between successive engagements of said stop lever and lugs.

7. A recording instrument having regis ter Wheels and zero-setting mechanism antomaticaliy returning said wheels to zero position utter a pre-determined time, and comprising a rotated member, a driving memher, a driving spring betWen the members, a torked re-setting lever, a pair of pins on said rotated member engaging the fork of said lever to operate it to re-set said heels, and time-controlled mechanism to actuate said driving mechanism.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

JULIUS BRENDLE. 

